2 Kings Chapter 6
God’s Protection of Elisha
A. The Recovery of the Ax Head
1. The Sons of the Prophets Need to Expand (2 Kings 6:1–3)
Full Passage (KJV)
“And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.”
a. “The place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.”
The sons of the prophets told Elisha that their living quarters had become too small. This implies remarkable growth in the prophetic movement during Elisha’s ministry. Many men were being trained in the word of God and prophetic service, and the facility that once met their needs could no longer contain their number. While the nation was spiritually unstable, God was raising up a generation of men committed to His truth. Their desire to expand indicated that their work was alive, growing, and worthy of further investment.
b. “Be content… and go with thy servants.”
The initiative for expansion came from the students, not from Elisha. They proposed the project, requested permission, and voluntarily planned to gather beams from the Jordan. However, they recognized that the presence and blessing of Elisha were indispensable. His company represented spiritual covering and divine favor. Without Elisha’s approval, the work would lack authority; without his presence, it would lack encouragement. Elisha agreed to go, showing the humility of a prophet willing to stand alongside those he trained rather than merely directing them from a distance.
2. The Recovery of the Ax Head — Another Miracle of Provision (2 Kings 6:4–7)
Full Passage (KJV)
“So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.”
a. “The axe head fell into the water.”
The loss of the iron ax head was significant. Though iron existed in Israel, it was costly and not easily replaced. Tools were precious in that era, especially among young prophets who lived simply and depended on borrowed or communal resources. The sudden loss of such a valuable tool threatened the young man’s credibility, finances, and conscience. His immediate cry shows that he felt deep responsibility for something entrusted to him.
b. “Alas, master! for it was borrowed.”
His distress arose not merely from losing a tool but from losing something that belonged to another. He was troubled because he could not repay the loss. His character is commendable: he feared being unfaithful with borrowed property. The Hebrew can also imply that the ax head had been begged for — meaning he obtained it only through earnest request. Whether borrowed or begged, its loss was serious. His reaction reveals a conscience sensitive to stewardship, a trait God honors.
c. “He cut down a stick… and the iron did swim.”
Elisha’s response was strikingly simple. He asked where the ax head had fallen, cut a stick, threw it into the water, and God caused the iron to float. There was no natural connection between the stick and the iron. The stick was merely a visible act of faith, a chosen instrument through which God displayed His power. Iron does not float; yet God overruled natural law to show His care for His servants in the smallest details of daily life. This miracle reveals that God is not only the God of nations, armies, and kings, but also the God who cares when a young man loses a borrowed ax head.
d. “Take it up to thee.”
Elisha instructed the young prophet to reach out his hand and retrieve the floating ax head. God performed the miracle, but the man had to act in obedience to receive the benefit. This pattern appears repeatedly in Scripture: God does what only He can do, and man must do what God commands him to do. The young man participated in the miracle by stretching out his hand, reinforcing personal responsibility even within divine provision. God supplies, but He does not excuse laziness or passivity.
B. God Protects Elisha From the Syrians
1. The King of Syria Plots the Capture of Elisha (2 Kings 6:8–13)
Full Passage (KJV)
“Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.”
a. “And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel.”
Though Elisha did not approve of Israel’s kings or their spiritual corruption, he nevertheless acted for the good of the nation. God revealed to him the military plans of Syria, and Elisha relayed the information to the king of Israel. This prophetic intelligence spared Israel from ambush after ambush. Israel’s king, Jehoram, though spiritually compromised, was wise enough to heed the warnings. It is noteworthy that whereas Elijah was hunted by the king, Elisha was now welcomed as a trusted counselor. This shift reflects God’s mercy toward the nation in allowing His prophet to protect even an imperfect ruler from destruction.
b. “Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
The king of Syria was baffled and infuriated. Every time he plotted a military maneuver, Israel seemed to know the plan in advance. Convinced that a traitor sat among his inner circle, he demanded to know who was leaking information. One of his servants responded with the startling truth: Elisha, the prophet in Israel, knew the king’s private conversations—even the words spoken in his bedroom. This confession demonstrates the awe surrounding Elisha’s ministry. Even Israel’s enemies recognized that the God of Israel revealed secrets to His prophet. Their military frustration became a testimony to the supernatural power of God working through His servant.
2. Elisha Sees His Invisible, Spiritual Protection (2 Kings 6:14–17)
Full Passage (KJV)
“Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”
a. “Alas, my master! how shall we do?”
When the servant rose early and saw the Syrian armies encircling the city, his fear was immediate and understandable. The enemy had surrounded them entirely, leaving no path of escape, no military hope, and no human solution. His startled cry revealed a heart overwhelmed by circumstances because he judged the situation solely by what his natural eyes could see. To him, the problem was real, the threat was real, and defeat seemed unavoidable.
b. “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”
Elisha calmly responded with a declaration that seemed impossible to his servant. The servant saw only the Syrian horses and chariots; he saw no allies, no soldiers, no defenses. Yet Elisha spoke with confidence because he saw a spiritual reality hidden from natural sight. His words were not empty optimism but a statement of fact grounded in faith. The man of God knew that divine protection far outweighed any earthly enemy. Elisha could stand courageously because his confidence rested in the unseen power of God.
c. “Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.”
Elisha did not ask God to remove the enemy army or to change the circumstances. Instead, he asked God to enable the servant to perceive the spiritual reality already present. The prophet understood that fear does not flee when circumstances change but when faith sees the truth. Elisha did not argue or try to persuade the servant; spiritual sight is not gained by human explanation. Only God can open the eyes of a blinded heart. This is the work of God alone, whether in salvation or in understanding spiritual truth.
d. “And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man.”
God immediately answered the prayer. The young servant suddenly saw what had been real all along. The mountains surrounding them were filled with heavenly horses and chariots of fire. The Syrian army had physical horses and chariots, but the armies of God possessed fire, the emblem of divine power and heavenly glory. There truly were more with Elisha than with the Syrians, not by imagination but by spiritual reality. This divine army had been present from the beginning, even when unseen.
The servant’s previous blindness did not make God’s protection less real. The truth of spiritual realities does not depend on human perception. Even if a thousand people fail to see God’s hand, His presence and His power remain unchanged. Faith is not fantasy; it is confidence in realities that exist beyond the reach of sight.
The armies of heaven were not merely symbolic. They were armed, present, surrounding Elisha, and fully capable of defending God’s servant. Whether men see them or not, the hosts of God encircle the people of God. His protection is greater than anything that comes against His own.
3. The Blinded Syrians Are Led to Samaria (2 Kings 6:18–23)
Full Passage (KJV)
“And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.”
a. “Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness.”
The Syrian soldiers boldly approached, unaware of the heavenly army surrounding Elisha. Just as the prophet had prayed for his servant’s eyes to be opened, he now prayed for the Syrians’ eyes to be closed. God immediately answered, striking them with a form of blindness. This was not total physical darkness, which would have left them helpless and immobile, but a confusion or distortion of sight that kept them from recognizing Elisha or understanding their surroundings. God can give sight or send blindness according to His wisdom, and here He did so in response to His servant’s prayer. Just as spiritual sight is a gift from God, so is spiritual blindness a judgment from His hand.
b. “Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek.”
Elisha spoke a technical truth. He did lead them to the man they sought—because when their sight was restored, Elisha stood right before them. Yet he gave the impression that they were on the wrong road, guiding them instead to Samaria, the capital city of Israel. This gentle misdirection demonstrates how easily the blind can be deceived, and it reflects a spiritual reality: those without spiritual sight are vulnerable to any voice that appears confident. Elisha’s actions were not malicious; they were strategic, preventing bloodshed while showcasing God’s sovereignty. The Syrians followed Elisha because blindness—physical or spiritual—removes discernment and makes deception easy.
c. “Thou shalt not smite them… set bread and water before them.”
When the king of Israel saw the Syrian army suddenly delivered into his hands, his instinct was immediate execution. Twice he asked, “Shall I smite them?” revealing eagerness to destroy his enemies. Elisha stopped him, reminding him that even prisoners taken in legitimate battle were not to be slaughtered in cold blood. Instead, he commanded the king to feed them, give them water, and send them home.
This surprising mercy accomplished what military might could not. The raiding parties ceased. The act of generosity under the direction of God’s prophet changed geopolitical behavior. The Syrians learned that Israel’s God could defeat them without shedding their blood and could show them kindness after disabling their attack. This display of grace restrained future violence far more effectively than killing them would have.
2. The Anger of the King of Israel Against Elisha (2 Kings 6:30–33)
Full Passage (KJV)
“And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?
And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
a. “God do so and more also… if the head of Elisha… shall stand on him this day.”
When the king heard the desperate cries of the starving woman, he tore his clothes in grief as he walked along the city wall. Beneath his royal garments, the people saw sackcloth—an outward sign of mourning and distress. Yet his sorrow did not lead him to repentance or self-examination. Instead of acknowledging his own sin, the nation’s apostasy, or the rebellion that provoked God’s judgment, the king directed his rage toward Elisha. He vowed to kill the prophet, as though silencing the messenger would erase the consequences of his own ungodliness. His anger was misdirected, driven by pride and spiritual blindness. A nation can fall under judgment, yet its leaders often blame everything and everyone except their own sin.
b. “Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
The king openly confessed that he believed the calamity was from the Lord, yet instead of humbling himself under God’s hand, he became hardened and bitter. He concluded that trusting God was pointless. This is the heart of rebellion—recognizing God’s sovereignty but refusing to submit to it. Elisha knew that the king intended to kill him, calling him “this son of a murderer,” a reference to the wicked lineage of Ahab from which the king descended. Elisha instructed the elders to bar the door against the king’s messenger. The king followed soon after with a bitter accusation against God Himself. His complaint reveals a man who wanted relief from judgment but not repentance, who wanted deliverance from misery but not deliverance from sin.
